


Nearing the End of All Things

by scatteredmoonlight



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Female Frodo, Genderswap, Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2018-05-19
Packaged: 2019-05-08 18:52:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14700156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scatteredmoonlight/pseuds/scatteredmoonlight
Summary: “I won’t lose you, Ms. Frodo. I won’t!”She needed to release the ring. She didn’t want this evil manipulating her thoughts. Mount Doom was still days away, but she needed thisnow. It came to her so clearly then, as Sam held her and stared fiercely, nevertheless cutting through the ring’s impenetrable might to capture her attention.She neededSam.





	Nearing the End of All Things

Frodo gazed off into the blackened soil of Mordor, evading the fiery orb of Sauron’s eye. The power of the ring called to her, its true bearer so near. She forced herself to look down at her dirt-stained, hairy feet. In just one pace, the Shire should become farther from her grasp than ever before, as just one pace before her lied Mordor. Bile churned in her belly.

“Ms. Frodo?”

Sam’s askance cut through the harsh cries from the ring. She swallowed back an ache in her throat, tears welling.

Sam grasped her shoulder, the grip tentative but true. It was what she needed—Sam here accompanying her into the hellfire of Mount Doom, relentless and yet with as much fear curdling in his gut as in her own.

“Ms. Frodo, are you all right?”

She willed down her nausea. “Oh, Sam.”

The ring’s insidious whispers intensified, a cacophonous spiral of malfeasant murmurs. It spoke of endless wars, carnage, its benevolent Sauron who would unite the lands under his rule. She fought to not listen, but so close to Mordor, it beckoned and enthralled her. She grasped the necklace, only the chain, but her palm slid down the cold, interlocked metal loops, closer and closer to the ring. Sam gripped her shoulder, hard, and swung her around. “ _Ms. Frodo!_ ”

Frodo clutched the ring but met his frantic, yet assured, stare. She was lost to the evil of the ring and the certainty of Sam’s gaze.

“I won’t lose you, Ms. Frodo. I won’t!”

She needed to release the ring. She didn’t want this evil manipulating her thoughts. Mount Doom was still days away, but she needed this _now_. It came to her so clearly then, as Sam held her and stared fiercely, nevertheless cutting through the ring’s impenetrable might to capture her attention.

She needed _Sam_. She was so glad for him to remain by her side this far into the journey, even after the dismantlement of the Fellowship. But she couldn’t tell him so. Not now, when it took all her might to ignore the ring long enough to acknowledge him. She did what little she could: With the hand not clutching the ring, she held Sam’s cheek, thumb sliding over the faint blond scruff which peppered his cheeks and jaw. Sam leaned into her palm, his fierce gaze flickering with a fragility for the sliver of an instant. “Oh, Sam,” moaned Frodo. The ring’s whispers devolved into a pitch so high that it scrapped out the wax from her ears. But through it all, she felt Sam’s scruff, his tight grip rooted on her shoulders. She didn’t dwell on it. She clamped her eyes shut and threw herself into a kiss.

It worked.

Not quite in an instant, but when she felt him suck in a breath, a buzzing in her ears drowned out the ring. One of his hands left her shoulder and slipped over her neck, sifting through her hair and tugging on a fistful of the strands. The violent images forced onto her by the ring stopped. Intrusive memories remained, but then Sam overcame his surprise and kissed her with earnest. At first it were a mere prolonged pucker, but then he opened his mouth wide, Frodo too bewildered by the contrast of the ring and Sam to resist. With a little pass of his tongue along her bottom lip, the kiss defeated the ring. Frodo released the necklace, grappling to hold onto Sam’s shoulder, arm, _anything_ , but came short with clutching at his shirt. She threw herself into him, moaning, and Sam hugged her close.

They kissed until the cool metal of the ring laid flush against her chest. Until they were dizzy and fumbled to remain standing. Until Frodo forgot why they stood where they stood, had lost what they lost.

Eventually they had to break away. When they did, the harsh reality of their fates flooded her. She wanted to kiss him again, but they couldn’t. Before anything else, the ring must be destroyed.

“I can’t do this without you, Sam,” said Frodo, panicked.

Sam rested his forehead against hers. “I’m not leavin’ you any choice in the matter.”

She held him, thankful for this moment, and hated how soon it had to end.


End file.
